This invention generally relates to citrus-originating products and processes for making them. More particularly, the invention separates a citrus juice source into a permeate liquid and a retentate containing virtually all of the pulp present in the citrus juice source. This pulp retentate is subjected to diafiltration, which reduces levels of bitterants such as naringin within the pulpy material, and certain diafiltration products are processed as or into useful juices and/or clouding agents which have blandness characteristics as desired.
Citrus fruits have long been recognized as valuable sources of important nutrients. More recently, health benefits and disease retarding or treating benefits of citrus sources have come to be more fully recognized as advantageous and beneficial when ingested. Accordingly, there is a general belief that increasing the intake of citrus-originating foods is a beneficial and important objective in the overall scheme of human health.
Segments of the population are less than enthusiastic about certain characteristics of citrus products, such as bitterness, acidity, and a thick consistency. Concerns about these types of characteristics are perhaps most prevalent when the citrus product or ingredient is grapefruit originating. Other citrus fruits can present these types of concerns, including orange, tangerine and lemon fruits. In terms of volume of juice and percentage of dislike in the juice-consuming population, grapefruit products present both the greatest challenge and the most promising potential. Heretofore, grapefruit resources have been underutilized due to these types of characteristics of grapefruit sources, which characteristics can be considered objectionable to certain segments of the population.
Numerous approaches have been taken in the past which incorporate various filtration and ion exchange technology in order to operate upon citrus juice sources with a view toward preparing a variety of different products and byproducts. These approaches typically do not substantially change the characteristics of or operate on pulp components. It has long been known that citrus pulp can be separated from citrus juice. Often, this involves removing pulp so as to provide a so-called clarified juice. In those instances, the separated pulp is discarded, used in low-value products such as animal feed, or is stored for reintroduction of some of it into juice products which are formulated to have high pulp contents.
It will thus be seen that, in many instances, citrus fruit pulp is not used in a high value manner. For this reason and others, citrus fruits are not used to their full potential, and many valuable nutrients are not put to use in a manner which directly benefits people. This is particularly true for separated components which include the citrus pulp. There is accordingly a need for approaches which allow a more complete realization of the potential of citrus fruits, and especially of grapefruit sources.
Many blended juice products are currently marketed. Most such products include as a primary component what has come to be known as "filler" juice. A filler juice is a relatively inexpensive juice source which is suitable for blending with other juices or juice flavors which are generally known as "key" flavors. These key flavor juices or flavorings are generally dominant on the senses, especially taste, with the result that a blended juice product can contain relatively low levels of key juice sources while still achieving the desired blended flavor of key juice(s). In the past, the primary filler juices have been apple juice and/or grape juice, particularly white grape juice. These traditional types of filler juices are generally considerably lower in nutritional content than are citrus juices. They are advantageous as filler juices because of their relatively low cost and relatively bland flavor.
Accordingly, there is a need for a relatively inexpensive and bland juice source which has greater nutritional value than these types of traditional filler juices. Also needed is a natural source of bland clouding agent or pulp for use in juice products and other potential uses. Fulfilling these needs with citrus sources would allow for juice products, clouding agents, blended juice products, and combinations thereof which are more nutritious than in the past and without substantially increasing their cost, or even reducing total cost.